With the help of a labelled diagram, describe briefly how an iron key can be electroplated with copper.
Electroplating is the process of depositing the desired metal on the other metal by passing an electric current through a solution called an electrolyte. In electroplating, first of all, two electrodes are connected with a battery and inserted in an electrolytic liquid. Among the two electrodes, the metal to be electroplated is made the cathode (here Iron),
while the metal which has to be deposited on this metal is taken as the anode (here copper). The electrolyte used here is copper sulphate solution. When an electric current is passed, the electrolyte solution breaks into Cu2+ ions and SO2−4 ion. The Cu2+ move towards negative electrode i.e iron key here and is deposited on it forming a thin layer of copper on it. SO2−4 ions move towards anode releasing electrons there to flow through the circuit.